Sleep should be restful, not dangerous for your baby
Protecting your baby is important—and you’re probably already taking many of the precautions to keep them safe. But what about while they sleep? To help you learn infant safe-sleeping precautions and techniques, Parkview Health has created the Safe Sleep Program. Our program curriculum includes specific recommendations from the American Academy of Pediatrics, Consumer Product Safety Commission, Cribs for Kids, and the CDC to reduce the risk of sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS) and accidental suffocation.
The ABCs of safe sleep
Evidence shows that babies sleep safely when they follow the ABCDs of safe sleep:
- Alone, but not lonely: Babies should sleep by themselves (but near a parent or guardian) each time they sleep for the first six months to a year.
- Back: Always place babies on their backs in bed.
- Cribs and portable cribs: Bassinets, cribs, or portable cribs should have a firm, level, safety-approved mattress with just a tightly fitted sheet. Keep the crib empty for at least the first year (no pillows, loose blankets, or stuffed animals).
- Drug-free home: Anything that reduces your alertness of ability to respond to your baby, such as alcohol, drugs, or certain medications can pose a risk, impair your judgment, and put your baby’s safety in jeopardy.
